Coffee tablet and process of making the same.



ROBERT H'O'LBNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO GEORGE HILLARIO BENJAMIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COFFEE TABLET AND PI-IOGIESS OF MAKING- THE SAME.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT Hi'IBNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Im-' provements in Coffee Tablets and Processes of Making the Same, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to extract from coffee, all of the aromatic and palatable substances, and to reduce such substances to the form of a tablet, which may be preserved for any length of time, and which is readily soluble in hot water.

To carrymy invention into efl'ect I proceed as follows: The coffee beans are first roasted and then reduced to a finely divided condition by grinding. The divided mass is then subjected (1) to the action of a solvent, which will dissolve aromatic ketones, glycerids, etc., such for instance as ether or ether alcohol, which will remove the aromatic and fatty bodies. This extract (a) of the aromatic and fatty bodies thus obtained, is then separated by pressing or otherwise, from the divided mass, and the remaining mass subsequently subjected to the action of boiling water to remove the substances soluble in water, as an extract (1)). The extract (a) is then, if necessary, subjected to the action of an alkali such as magnesia or soda, for the purpose of saponifying a portion of any fatty bodies which may be present in such extract. For instance, some coffees con.-

tain fatty bodies, others do not. The amount of alkali will therefore depend upon the amount of fatty bodies present. The ex tracts (a and b) are then combined and evaporated under such conditions as will not destroy the aromatic bodies but remove all water. The extracts (a and b) may be evaporated separately. After evaporation has been effected, the combined, concentrated extract (a and b) may be pressed into tablet form and coated with a preservative envelop. I may add any suitable carrying body, in which case I preferably use a body soluble in-boiling water and which will not appreciably affect the taste of the coffee, such for instance as sugar of milk. The concentrated extract (a and b) resembles tar in its physical characteristics and the purpose of adding a carrying body or carrying bodies, is to give consistency to the mass, so that it may be more readily divided and pressed Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

Application filed December'27, 1909. I Serial No. 534,992.

into tablet form. After compression of the If desule or the production of bacterial growth,

such for instance as those now commonly used in the art for the purpose.

For use in hot climates I may put the tablets or capsules in preservative compounds, or seal them in boxes or in air tight jars. The tablets may be used-by immersing them in hot water and boiling, as in the usual preparation of coffee.

If desired, the tablets may be made from coffee "from which the caffein has been partially removed, (this is described in my Patent No. 947,577, dated January 25th, 1910) in which case the preliminary process of extracting the cafl'em from the raw beans is first carried out, as described in my said pat cut. I may omit the roasting of the coffee before grinding; instead of using two extracts (a and b) I may use a single extract (a).

Having thus described my invention, I

claim I 1. The herein described process of making cofiee tablets, which consists in first extracting from the coffee such aromatic ketones, glycerids, and fatty bodies, as are soluble in ether or ether-alcohol, then extracting from the mass such bodies as are soluble in water, then subjecting the first mentioned extract to the action of an alkali, then removing the saponified bodies, then combining the extracts and evaporating them tothe condition of a solid.

2. The herein described process of making coffee tablets, which consists in first extracting from the coffee such aromatic ketones, glycerids, and fatty bodies, asare soluble in ether or ether-alcohol, then extracting from the coffee all matters which are soluble in hot water, then concentrating the extracts to a solid, then compressing to tablet form, then finally coating with a preservative envelop.

3. The herein described process of making coffee tablets, which consists in first grinding, then extracting from the mass such bodies as are soluble in ether or ether-alcohol, then extracting from the mass such bodies as are soluble in water, then subjecting the first mentioned extract to the action of an alkali, then removing the saponified bodies, then combining the extracts and evaporating" them to the condition of a solid, then compressing into tablet form and finally coating with a preservative envelop.

l. The herein described process of making coffee tablets, which consists in first grinding, then extracting from the mass such bodies as are soluble in ether or ether-alcohol, then extracting from the mass such bodies as are soluble in water, then subjecting the first mentioned extract to the action of an alkali, then removing the saponified bodies, then combining the extracts, then evaporating them, then mixing them with a carrying body, then compressing into tablet form, and then coating them with a preservative envelop.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a coffee tablet containing all of the aromatic and palatable substances contained in coffee which may be extracted by etheror ether alcohol, and all the other bodies which may be extracted by warm Water, excelpting such fatty matters as may be sapon' ed by an alkali.

'6. As a new article of manufacture, a coffee tablet comprising a carrying body and all the volatile bodies which may be extracted from coffee by ether or ether alcohol, and all the other bodies which may be extracted by warm water, but free from such fatty matters as may be removed by the ac tion of an alkali.

7. As a new article of manufacture, adry body consisting of all the aromatic and palatable substances which may be extracted from coffee by ether or ether alcohol, and all the other bodies which may be extracted by warm water, excepting such fatty matters as may be removedby saponification by an alkali.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT HI'TBNER.

Witnesses:

W. A. TowNER, J r., HELEN E. KOELSCH. 

